Doorknob



y 5, 1931- G. R: ADAMS ,3 5

DOORKNOB Filed July 2, 192a iTZ/wwey Patented May 5, 1931 GEORGE 3.. Animals, or nos ANGELES, CALIFORNIA DOORKNOB Application filed July 2, 1928. Serial No. 289,743.

My invention relates to a novel form of composite door-lmob.

odern types of buildings require hardware in harmony with other'fixtures and with the particular style of architecture utilized.

Furthermore, it is desirable in some instances to install hardware and fixtures which meet individual requirements and which are dif ferent from those found in like structures.

For these reasons the demand for hardware of different sizes, shapes and colors has grown to such an extent that a wholesale dealer must keep many hundreds of different patterns of each fixture in stock, thus necessitating large 5 investments, and a correspondingly higher cost per fixture to thecustomer. In the doorknob line, for instance, a dealer must carry a stock representing an thousands of dollars in order to have a complete line of knobs of different sizes, shapes, colors, etc, required to meet the demand.

I have invented a door-knob, the composite parts of which may be easily assembled, each of these parts being made in a relatively fewdifi'erent shapes and colors so that by carrying a stock of these parts a dealermay assemble a large number of different sizesand shapes of knobs having color combinations to suit any customer.

It is an object of my invention to provide a door-knob which may be assembled in a large number of designs from arelatively.

small stock of composite parts- A further object of my invention is to pr vide a door-knob having a novel structure.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a knob having'a shank and face member clamped relative to each other by a screw and ratchet structure. I

Referring to the drawing in which I illustrate my invention, I

Fig.1 is a side view of my door-knob.

knob shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a face view taken in of the arrow 4 of Fig.1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof a spring utilized in my door-knob.

the direction investment of many as best Fig. 2 is a vertical'sectional view of the 7 thereof Figs. 6 and 7 illustrateother types of knobs which may be assembled by using the parts of my invention. p Y

Referring particularly to Fig.1, I illustrate the end of a squared shaft 10 which normally extends from member 11 has a squaredopening; 12 adapted to slip over the end of the shaft 10' and to be secured thereto as other means.

A screw 14 the shank member 11 and is threadedly received in a hub 16 forming apart of a face by a-set-screw 13 or by member 17. By turning the screw 14, before the shank member 11 is secured to the shaft 17 and the shank member toward each other until faces 10, the face member 11 are moved 18 and 19 of nular ring 20. A further tightening of the screw 14 tightly clamps the ring 20 between thememb'ers 11 and 17 it A Extending outward from the face 19 of the member 11. is an annular shoulder 22 which snugly fits inside the ring 20 a'ndhas notches cut therein so as to form'teeth 23 forming a shank-member ratchet 24. A similar annular shoulder 28 extends from the face 18 0f the face member 17, and is similarly provided with teeth 29 pointing in opposite directions to the teeth 23 when the knob is assembled,

shown in Fig. 2. The teeth 29 provide a face-member ratchet-30.,

a door-lock. A shank passes through an opening 15 in these members contact an an-' Extending inside the ring'20, and resiliently engaging-the lnner wall, thereof, is a an cular spring 35, best. illustrated" in F ig'. 5. This spring has the ends thereof bent in opposite directions so asto engage the-teeth 23 and 29 of the ratchets, and the spring 35, cooperate to form a unidirectional ratchet'mechanism which preventsthe face member 17 from rotating relative to the shank member ll'in'such a direction that this face member would unscrew from the screw 14. slightly helical in shape so that the bent ends resiliently engage the ratchets 24 and 30. T us,'when the shank and'face members 11 and 17 have been firmly clamped against the ring 20 by thescrew 14, the spring 35 prevents any relative unscrewing motion The spring 35 is of the face member 17 relative to the shank member 11, while the clamping action of the screw 14 prevents any relative rotation of these members in the opposite direction.

In practice, I form the shank member 11 in several shapes, each of these shapes being rovided in several colors such as bronze, polished brass, nickel, etc. Similarly, I provide several designs of the face members 17, all of these designs being supplied in different colors such as are used in the shank member 11. Various combinations of shank members and face members may thus be assembled.

In order to further ornament the door-knob I provide a finger grip in the form of a ring 40 hearing a design structure, this finger grip 4O closely surrounding the ring 20 and being of a width equal to this ring so that the ring and grip ring 40 will simultaneously be clamped between the members 11 and 17.

The particular form of grip structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a ring 41 which is approximately of a T cross-section, the arms thereof extending beyond the outer periphery of the members 11 and 17. Such a ring may be provided in various colors and finishes, and may be inscribed with a suitable design on the outer face thereof if desired.

My invention comprehends the use of various shapes of design structures which may be used in place of the one illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 6, for instance, I illustrate a single ring 42 having openings 43 therein, this ring forming the grip design structure 40. Similarly, in Fig. 7 I illustrate three rings 45 forming the grip design structure 40. These rings may be either of the same or different widths, and the dealer will carry such rings in various finishes and color combinations.

Thus, when a customer desires any particular color combination or shape, the dealer may assemble a door-knob incorporating the desired features. By thus assembling the knobs, the dealer is required to carry only a fraction of the stock otherwise necessary, with a relatively large saving to the customer. Such an arrangement also permits a customer to express his individual desire as to color combinations and designs, instead of forcing him to purchase designs and combinations conceived by someone who is not entirely familiar with his individual requirements.

It should be understood that the rings 20 may be made in varying widths so as to accommodate any number of the rings 45 of the grip design structure 40, or any width of the rings 41 or 42, thus making it possible to form any desired thickness of knob. The outer diameter of this ring 20 may also be varied so as to receive grip design structures 40 of various inner diameters. I have found it preferable to so form these design structures that they will snugly fit over the ring 20, and by changing the thickness of the ring 20, rings 45 of any thickness may be used in forming the grip design structure 40. The ring 20 may similarly be variously colored so that when used on a design such as shown in Fig. 6, this ring will add to the attractiveness of the design by color contrast, if-such contrast is desired. The overall diameter of the grip design structure 40 may be varied by changing the outer diameters of the rings 41, 42, or 45 used on his particular design.

It should be clear that I am not limited to the particular design structures illustrated, these being merely shown for the purpose of illustration. Similarly, I am not limited to the formation of teeth 23 and 29 completely around the annular shoulders 22 and 28. Thus, if the spring 35 is held immovable through engagement with the ring 20, only one notch would necessarily have to be provided in the annular shoulder 22. In fact, if the shank and face members 11 and 17 are correctly positioned before assembly, only one notch would have to beformed in each annular shoulder 22 and 28, these notches respectively receiving the ends of the spring 35.

Thus, when speaking of a ratchet in the appended claims I do not wish to be limited to a plurality of ratchet teeth extending completely around each annular shoulder, although I have found this arrangement to be very satisfactory.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a door-knob, the combination of: a face member; a. shank member; a ring between said face and shank members; a ratchet on said face member; a ratchet on said shank member; a screw engaging said members to clamp said ring in place; and means extending between said ratchets to prevent any relative rotation'of said members which might loosen the clamping engagement on said ring exerted by said screw.

2. In a door-knob, the combination of: a face member; a shank member; a ring between said face and shank members a ratchet on said face member; a ratchet on said shank member; a screw engaging said members to clamp said ring in place; and a circular spring having its ends bent to respectively engage said ratchet-s, said spring fitting in said ring.

3. In a door-knob, the combination of: a face member having a ratchet thereon; a shank member having a ratchet thereon; screw means for clamping said members in fixed position; and a spring extending between said ratchets, said spring having its opposite ends engaging said ratchets and forming a ratchet device preventing a relative movement of said members which might loosen said screw means.

4. In a door-knob, the combination of: a face member; a shank member; an outer ring; an inner ring within said outer rin and c means for slmultaneously clamping both Ill) rings between said members, each of said rings being separate from the other so as to be individually removable.

5. In adoor-knob, the combination of: a face member a shank member; an inner ring; an outer ring surrounding said inner ring and constituting a finger grip; and means for simultaneously clamping both rings between said members, said grip ring being separate 10 from said inner ring so as to be individually removable for replacement by another grip ring of the same or different finish whereby the exterior appearance of the door-knob may thus be varied at will.

15 6. In a door-knob, the-combination of: a face member; a shank member; a finger grip element between said members, said element being separate from said members so as to be individually removable; screw-threaded means for clamping said members against said grip element; and means independent of said clamping means for preventing said members from loosening their clamping engagement with said grip element.

Q5 7 In a door-knob, the combination ofz'a face member; a shank member; an intermediate ring member; screw-threaded means for clamping said ring member between said face and shank members; and independent 30 means preventing relative rotation of said face and shank members tending to loosen said screw-threaded clamping means.

8. In a door-knob, the combination of: two opposed members; an intermediate member; screw-threaded means for vclamping said members together; and ratchet mechanism between said opposed members preventing loosening of said screw-threaded clamping means.

4o 9. In a door-knob, the combination of: a

face member; a shank member; a ring between said face and shank members; a screw engaging said face member and said shank member to clamp said members against said ring; and ratchet mechanism for preventing said members from loosening their clamping engagement with said ring.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this to 26th day of June, 1928.

GEORGE R. ADAMS. 

